The Christian World just recently celebrated Easter. But as a general rule, it seems to me that Easter Sunday is NOT properly observed -at least in the ward's I have belonged to.

I remember vividly an Easter Sunday (15 years ago) wherein the sacrament meeting was a missionary farewell--no particular emphasis on Easter, Christ's Atonement of Resurrection.

I went to Sunday School--the instructor simply taught the next lesson in the manual--no emphasis whatsoever on Easter related topics.

I went to Priesthood Meeting--same story in my Elder's Quorum. Finally, after going from classroom to classroom I discovered that the Priest's quorum of having a lesson on Easter.

This last Easter, the sacrament meeting program was very much Easter centered with the choir singing an Easter Cantata (by Gerald Lund and His wife--very nice!). However, the congregational hymns (3) WERE NOT from the Easter hymns in the hymn book.

The Sunday School class I attended had an Easter Centered Lesson, but that is only because I taught it! (Gospel Essentials).

What is the deal? It seems to me that this is the one Sunday on which we could deviate from the lesson manual just enough to focus on the central doctrine of our Church and Christianity!

I recently voiced this opinion in Correlation Meeting and received a lecture from our Relief Society President that it would be completely inappropriate to deviate from the lesson schedule!

What has been your experience?

Is there some church policy that I am not aware of that prohibits us from having a special lesson on Easter?

Are Church instructors so mindless that they can't do anything but blindly follow the manual?

From the forum: The Christian World just recently celebrated Easter. But as a general rule, it seems to me that Easter Sunday is NOT properly observed -at least in the ward's I have belonged to. I remember vividly an Easter Sunday (15 years ago) wherein the sacrament meeting was a missionary farewell--no particular emphasis on Easter, Christ's Atonement of Resurrection.

Obviously, various Mormon wards vary as to their recognition of resurrection Sunday. [Mormons don't set aside any special corporate emphasis on Good Friday or the week leading up to Easter]

Excerpts from this link by the Lds Church-owned newspaper: ...survey respondents ranked their families' celebration of Easter a distant third behind Christmas and Thanksgiving, with only "slightly more planning than the Fourth of July," he said. [My note: So, Easter gets "slightly more planning than the" July 4th weekend among Lds? This BYU prof says Easter should "rightfully should be the celebration of all celebrations." But, he says, it gets "usurped...overshadowed" by the Lds throwing a conference that lands on Easter 1/4th of the time. And that this is both incongrous, "awkward," and a "disconnect with the LDS observance of it." "...Look what we do to prepare for Christmas: caroling, ward parties, advent calendars that help you count down to the holiday," Wilson said. "For most Latter-day Saints, we have nothing like that for Easter..." [My note: Wilson said he thinks Latter-day Saints could overcome both the general conference timing and the holiday's moves around the calendar with wider acknowledgement of the historic events that lead to Easter Sunday's celebration of Christ's resurrection, suggesting it might help to remind members on Palm Sunday of the events that happen during holy week. "My students did a little poll this year  350 to 400 of them  and only 2 to 3 percent of their wards even mentioned Palm Sunday. It's like we're afraid that's another Christian fabrication of mainstream Christianity and we don't want to buy into it."

From this Eric Huntsman (Mormon author) article: While the LDS community does not formally observe Holy Week, the period from Palm Sunday to Easter morning Suddenly I realized that my observance of Easter was rather pale by comparison No cross on their church or temple buildings. (In fact, they replace Christ with an angel Moroni on their temples).

Few Mormons wear crosses, depicting their aversion to it. For more on this, see:

Of course, Mormons have services on Easter. But thats because its a Sabbath like any other. Some of their facilities recognize Easter in some special way; many do not. And when they do, its usually because of some realization by a local leader of the paleness in which they have been previously focused on Christs death on the cross and resurrection  as this author describes during his time as an Lds bishop.

From the Eric Huntsman (Mormon author) article: Moving to Tennessee and being immersed in the Baptist Bible Belt probably helped. Perhaps that is where I picked up a bit of my evangelical flair. I did not always agree with my Protestant friends in details of doctrine, but I was always moved by their commitment and love of Jesus Christ. Later as I become more of a student of history, I became more high church in sentiment as I became attracted to the liturgical patterns of the older, more traditional Christian communities. I came to appreciate their use of the calendar, seasons, and scriptural events as teaching tools...

(Thank the Lord that His evangelical people are a light to Mormons in Tennessee! It seems when Lds move into contact with them that they indeed appreciate their use of calendar, seasons, and scriptural events as teaching tools )

lds do not wear crosses or display crosses because mormonism teaches the lds jesus paid the price in the garden.
lds do not wear crosses or display crosses because mormonism is in no way related to Christianity.
lds do not wear crosses or display crosses because the cross means little to nothing in mormonism.

8
posted on 04/06/2012 10:13:59 PM PDT
by svcw
(If one living cell on another planet is life, why isn't it life in the womb?)

Just finished study the Christian religions. Morman was not listed. I asked pastor why and he said because they are not a Christian faith. They do not believe in the Trinity or Grace as we understand it.

TO understand what they are read first two chapters of Tricia Erickson’s book CAN MITT ROMNEY SERVE TWO MASTERS? Free on Amazon.

My uncle the bishop and my aunt who can trace her family to Joseph Smith both said they do not display crosses or wear them because it was decided about 1875 (by the 12 I guess), that mormons did not want to be identified as Christians, so the cross was removed from all “wards” and homes.

11
posted on 04/06/2012 10:19:23 PM PDT
by svcw
(If one living cell on another planet is life, why isn't it life in the womb?)

Keep your candle wicks lit.............in full anticipation of His Return. They came for the Mormons, but I didn’t care, because I didn’t care about birth control...................or something like that........... < /sarc>

Nope.
Jesus Christ, the eternal Christ, paid the price on the Cross and overcame death and rose from the dead.
mormonism teaches a created christ, that paid the price in the garden but lds must work for their salvation.
Jesus Christ of the Bible always was.
The lds christ was once a man who earned a vaulted position.
There is no bashing, there is exposure of mormonism, which as Christins we are to call out false prophets and blasphemy.

26
posted on 04/06/2012 10:55:12 PM PDT
by svcw
(If one living cell on another planet is life, why isn't it life in the womb?)

Believe me, had there been another way than... ...the scandalous shameful cross (for a divine being); ...to make the Son of God to BE sin; ...to treat the Son of God as a literal curse (A sense of divine damnation with the wrath of the Father poured out upon the Son of God), then those divine alternatives would have been exercised.

Seems to me I remember something somewhere about picking up the Cross and following Him, if the garden was the important item in the “price” the command would be get a wheelbarrow fill it with dirt and follow me.

28
posted on 04/06/2012 11:02:22 PM PDT
by svcw
(If one living cell on another planet is life, why isn't it life in the womb?)

Jesus was victorious over the cross. By Jesus’ resurrection, He proved that He was who He claimed He was, eternal God, God the Son, manifest in the flesh. And because He rose again, we can trust Him in everything He has promised us. When He says to trust in Him and we will have eternal life with Him, we can be certain we will have that, because Jesus IS who He says He is. He is God, the eternal Son of God.

Now, if Jesus died on the cross, and did not rise again, then I could see your point.

30
posted on 04/06/2012 11:08:35 PM PDT
by Secret Agent Man
(I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)

If Mormons believe Jesus "paid the price" in the garden, then Mormons believe... Jesus "paid the price."

To sum up what I was saying in post #27 in even a simpler way:

If a rather intense "convo" between the Son of God and His Father was all that was pivotally needed to overcome sin in this world, Jesus as the Son of God could have stayed in heaven and accomplished that up there.

He didn't need to don dirty diapers & become a baby-turned-man. He didn't need to deal with a faithless humanity for three years of public ministry. And the cross would have been a wee bit of an "overkill."

34
posted on 04/06/2012 11:23:06 PM PDT
by Colofornian
( Tell us: Why do we want to vote for ONE socialist to defeat ANOTHER socialist again?)

We all fall short of the Glory of God. Mormon, Catholic, every denomination of Protestant or Jew, and all those in the unbelieving world. Stack all our good deeds up, the Biblical laws we have kept, and all the hours in church or on a mission trip, or in worship on Easter Sundays, and we have not come close to deserving what God has promised.

Our acceptance by God does not come from what church we join, or how good a life we live. The thief on the cross showed us that. By doing the unthinkable, the criminal asked Jesus to have mercy on him in spite of his worthless life. Keep in mind, he was in no position to bargain. There was no from now on, no turning over a new leaf for him. He was a dead man talking. He had come to an end of his miserable life. But 4 little heart-felt words have mercy on me had Jesus push up on the nail that pierced his feet so he could utter these words, I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise

Those 4-words can be spoken by all human-kind, for he suffered on that cross for all of us. Even Mormons.

Mormons Celebrate the Ressurection of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we believe in the biblical ressurection, unlike yourself that believe that Christ ditched his ressurected body once he left the earth to join the heavenly mist with a three-way personality disorder (funny that that’s not taught in the bible).

We however, do not believe in the Easter Bunny which I believe was another Roman distortion similar to your Nicene Creed.

So here’s the real question ... If you celebrate Easter .... why don’t you celebrate Christ’s ressurection, instead of defining it by non-biblical state-priest philosophies and Creeds?

Mormons Celebrate the Ressurection of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we believe in the biblical ressurection, unlike yourself that believe that Christ ditched his ressurected body once he left the earth to join the heavenly mist with a three-way personality disorder (funny that thats not taught in the bible).

How about we start right here.

John 1:18 No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

It’s happening again. How insane!~! True Conservatives do
not want another non-Christian as President. And neither does God.

archived message #32660, Yahoo Groups - Seers 2

2007 Message to Louise Tomkiel

Message to Louise August 13, 2007
HYPERCRITICAL——
AUGUST 13, 2008- - -3:10 a.m.
L. began to receive a message from God and said, “Jesus,
please cover me with your Most Precious Blood.”
Then your God spoke, “CHILDREN, LISTEN TO ME!!!!
Select your candidate in much prayer for if you put a
certain party up for election for your next president
you will have a religious war and Martial Law. This
person claims to have faith in the ‘one true church’
which, I tell you, is a false cult founded on lies by a
very sick man.
My Church and all Christians will be sought out and
punished unto death! DO NOT CHOOSE EVIL MEN TO
RULE YOUR COUNTRY!!!
Michael and his Legions of Warrior Angels will assist
My own although many will die for your faith. Remain
faithful to the end My dear ones for Heaven eternal
awaits you.
Live in Truth. Live Love. Forgive all. Pray. I WILL give
you abundant strength. This will be the devil’s great
hour. Fear not but live on in My Great Love. My
blessings to you all! Amen.”

NOTE: Candidate’s initial - - -M.R.

[The only candidate in the last election and in this one with these initials is Mitt Romney. He is a Mormon which was recently described as a cult.]

Well that, and then there is his consistently breaking the following commandments: Exodus 20:16 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Leviticus 19:11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.

Careful - any who use the facts that a man conducts himself sinfully is a hypocrite. Jesus said that even the thought of sinful behavior was the same as doing it - name a person on the Earth today that can go a whole day without sinning. If you can find one, then Jesus died for nothing....

41
posted on 04/07/2012 4:10:22 AM PDT
by trebb
("If a man will not work, he should not eat" From 2 Thes 3)

19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

43
posted on 04/07/2012 4:26:47 AM PDT
by Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

It must SUCK to be a MORMON; knowing that only 15% or so of them will EVER make it to the HIGHEST level of MORMON heaven; knowing that 'Forever Families' is a big marketing scam, and knowing that the Second Prophet has DAMNED them (actually their GOD) for NOT following the LDS scripture about POLYGAMY!!!

"Now if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise that you will be damned;

and I will go still further and say, take this revelation, or any other revelation that the Lord has given,

and deny it in your feelings, and I promise that you will be damned.

Brigham Young - JoD 3:266 (July 14, 1855)

44
posted on 04/07/2012 4:31:18 AM PDT
by Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

1. Im Superior; I have a special gift of the holy Ghost -- you dont! 2. Im Superior; I have Gods true priesthood power -- you dont! 3. Im Superior; I can go in Gods secret Temple -- you cant! 4. Im Superior; Ive been Endowed with special Gifts and Knowledge -- youre just normal! 5. Im Superior; Ill have my family with me in heaven -- youll be with strangers! 6. Im Superior; Im becoming a God -- you arent! 7. Im Superior; My women know their place as servants of man and yours dont. 8. Im Superior; YOUR creeds are wrong because they come from man - mine comes from God (you can find each one printed in our Scriptures). 9. Im Superior; I dont HAVE a creed - Ive got 13 Articles of Faith. 10. I'm Superior; I have 4 "Bibles"-- the standard works (5 if you count the JST) -- you've only got one: in as far as it is translated correctly. 11. Im Superior; I can lie with impunity about such things as church membership, church growth, church doctrine, church history, church influence, etc.  -- You cant. 12. Im Superior; I am right (everybody knows) when I say 'evangelical' Christians are lunatics --

-- Youre a hideous narrow-minded bigot, who is persecuting me by practicing discrimination by saying I'm not a Christian. 13. I'm Superior; I have a testimony about a prophet -- you don't. 14. I'm Superior; I have a Scripture-producing Amos 3:7 prophet -- you don't 15. Im Superior; I have a Living Prophet who talks to god every day -- you have a dim-witted hireling of Satan who only talks to himself. 16. I'm Superior; I have my calling & election made sure -- you don't. 17. Im Superior; I have magic underwear to protect me from the bogey man -- you dont. 18. Im Superior; I have secret clasps and grips to give the angel so I get admitted to the celestial kingdom -- you dont ;so you cant. 19. I'm Superior; I know secret handshake codes for afterlife entrances-- you don't. 20. Im Superior; I will see Joseph Smith setting on the right hand of GOD, when I get to Mormon heaven, and he will recognize me and judge me favorably -- Youre on your own; when you get to wherever youre going! 21. Im Superior; Im going to hie to Kolob -- youre going to who knows where. 22. Im Superior; I get to have a harem and act like a celestial stud for time and all eternity -- you dont. 23. Im Superior; I have sun stones, moon stones, sky stones, cloud stones, Saturn stones, and the evil eye of Osirus guarding my temple

-- You have nothing but a stupid cross. 24. Im Superior; My church has billions in assets stashed away -- yours has taken a stupid vow of poverty. 25. I'm Superior; Last - we have the power to keep a whole race out of our priesthood if we wanted to reinsert our 148-year legacy (we ARE still keeping an entire GENDER at bay!)

26.I'm superior; I have the "higher law" -- everyone else "lives under the "lesser law' because I say so...(over and over).

Revision 46.5

Semi-Official creed of the EXclusive club of Freeper Flying Inmans.

All rights liable to be abused.

46
posted on 04/07/2012 4:33:47 AM PDT
by Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

We can say that Mitt has NOT repudiated the following quotes in the least!!!

Draw your OWN conclusions!

Questions put to Joseph Smith: "'Do you believe the Bible?' [Smith:]'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'. When asked 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons'? [Smith replied] 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).

Joseph Smith: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price 1:12). "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).

Brigham Young stated this repeatedly: "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness" (Journal of Discourses 5:73); "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Journal of Discourses 8:171); "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199); "And who is there that acknowledges [God's] hand? ...You may wander east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.24); "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Journal of Discourses 10:230).

Orson Pratt proclaimed: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (The Seer, p. 255).

Orson Pratt also said: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (Journal of Discourses

, vol.18, p.44) and: "But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established, and they have denominated a great variety of people Christian Churches, because they profess to be ...But there has been a long apostasy, during which the nations have been cursed with apostate churches in great abundance" (Journal of Discourses , 18:172).

President John Taylor stated: "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century." (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.167); "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (Journal of Discourses , 10:127).

James Talmage said: "A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". (A Study of the Articles of Faith, p.182).

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." (Doctrines of Salvation, p.266). "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the 'Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p.282).

More recent statements by apostle Bruce McConkie are also very clear: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); "virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (Mormon Doctrine, p.269); "Gnosticism is one of the great pagan philosophies which antedated Christ and the Christian Era and which was later commingled with pure Christianity to form the apostate religion that has prevailed in the world since the early days of that era." (Mormon Doctrine, p.316).

President George Q. Cannon said: "After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (Gospel Truth, p.324).

President Wilford Woodruff stated: "the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 2, p.196).

47
posted on 04/07/2012 4:35:31 AM PDT
by Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

This bashing has to stop - in the name of Christ. (He who commands, must obey.)

Quite an interesting tagline...

...considering that MORMONs do NOT obey the COMMAND found in D&C 132!

The Doctrine and Covenants

Section 132

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded 12 July 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant, and also the plurality of wives (see History of the Church, 5:5017). Although the revelation was recorded in 1843, it is evident from the historical records that the doctrines and principles involved in this revelation had been known by the Prophet since 1831.

58 Now, as touching the law of the apriesthood, there are many things pertaining thereunto.

59 Verily, if a man be called of my Father, as was aAaron, by mine own voice, and by the voice of him that bsent me, and I have endowed him with the ckeys of the power of this priesthood, if he do anything in my name, and according to my law and by my word, he will not commit dsin, and I will justify him.

60 Let no one, therefore, set on my servant Joseph; for I will justify him; for he shall do the sacrifice which I require at his hands for his transgressions, saith the Lord your God.

61 And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthoodif any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse aanother, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else.

62 And if he have aten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified.

63 But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him to amultiply and replenish the earth, according to my commandment, and to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father continued, that he may be bglorified.

64 And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, if any man have a wife, who holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her the law of my priesthood, as pertaining to these things, then shall she believe and administer unto him, or she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord your God; for I will destroy her; for I will magnify my name upon all those who receive and abide in my law.

65 Therefore, it shall be lawful in me, if she receive not this law, for him to receive all things whatsoever I, the Lord his God, will give unto him, because she did not believe and administer unto him according to my word; and she then becomes the transgressor; and he is exempt from the law of Sarah, who administered unto Abraham according to the law when I commanded Abraham to take aHagar to wife.

66 And now, as pertaining to this law, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will reveal more unto you, hereafter; therefore, let this suffice for the present. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega. Amen.

50
posted on 04/07/2012 4:43:42 AM PDT
by Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)

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